"Home care" is a simple phrase that encompasses a wide range of care and social services. Services such as Personal Care, Medication Reminders, Transportation, Companionship for those needing assistance with the essential activities of daily living can be delivered by hourly or live-in caregivers. It is a way for families to enable their loved ones to remain living independently, in their own homes, wherever that may be.
In broader terms, home care often revolves around the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). ADLs are basic activities and functions performed on a daily basis that are usually done without assistance. The six ADLs are:
- eating
- dressing
- bathing
- grooming
- transferring
- continence
IADLs, on the other hand, are those activities instrumental to our daily routines such as:
- driving
- preparing meals
- doing housework
- shopping
- managing finances
- managing medication
- using the telephone
With the ability to personalize services, home care allows seniors the flexibility to adjust their care to meet their individual needs, when and as they see fit.